Friday, August 12, 2011


After several months of writing back and forth and even phone calls and web cam chats, there has never been a single request for money. And then, you take the relationship to the next level and would like to meet this beautiful woman. She seems perfect, but you are aware of the risk. Finally, the two of you agree that you will fly her to your home country. You agree to help her with her plane ticket, passport and visa. It will be an investment, and relatively expensive. You can’t put a price on love. You might also need to pay for a travel agency to help with her visa, or even help her with some bills so that she can leave work and visit you. Everything seems legit and you don’t mind helping out. You even provided her with a copy of your passport, so her travel agent has all your information and can expedite your visa. She has pictures of you, your address, a copy of your passport, and your home phone number and date of birth. You send the money, and she has all your personal details. You’ve just been a victim and it’s about to get worse.  Welcome to Russian dating scams.

Next you might find yourself in London or Toronto or New York or Sydney airport waiting for your online romance. She’s your perfect match. You might buy some roses or chocolates to surprise her when she lands. You’re ready for the grand rendez vous. All passengers are finally arriving and you’re looking for her among the passengers. She never showed. What happened?

You rush home to check your email to find out what happened. Finally, she contacts you. There’s been a problem. Things are complicated. For one reason or another, she wasn’t able to visit you and she’s in serious problems. She’s sorry but she needs your help more than ever.  What should you do?

Russia private investigators say this is a common scenario in romance scams involving Russian women. The sad fact of the matter is, in this case, the victim lost thousands of dollars, and even had his identity stolen (after providing all his details). Romance scams and Russian internet fraud is serious business, and there are many victims. The risk is high and relationships should be verified. Experienced criminals can fool just about anyone, so don’t think it couldn’t happen to you – it could. Scammers target victims on sites like Match.com, eHarmony and Facebook, and Russian bride sites, but if you’re on the internet meeting people, you’re at risk.

Detectives in Moscow deal with these situations on a regular basis. American, Canadian and British and Australian men have been duped and devastated, by the thousands. And to make matters worse, experts say the internet crimes and scam levels are actually rising.  Investigators say caution is advised.

Money often flows down the drain after falling for a beautiful blue eyed Russian or Ukrainian woman. Investigators say be skeptical, very skeptical. Avoid providing personal details and data, and any request for money should be a major red flag. If in doubt, contact a reputable Russia private detective such as Russia PI™ for verification and evidence on the subject.

Private investigators around the world and particularly in Russia and the Ukraine keep telling us to be careful and not to hesitate to verify any relationship that begins on the internet. Professional and discreet background check investigations can save you time and money, and lots of heartache. Experts say it’s a wise form of insurance to lower your risk online.

Best of luck,

A Hathaway
© 2011 A Hathaway




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This copyrighted article was written and published by the editor and site author, A. Hathaway, or other guest private investigator, expert or contributor as noted.

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